Scott Wykoff's Blog

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Weenie Beenie

There’s nothing quite like stumbling upon a hot dog spot with a cool
name that really delivers on that name across its marquee.

Weenie Beenie does that and so much more.

Who could really come up with a better name for a hot dog
joint from days gone by.

Once a chain of fast food restaurants some 50 or so miles
from Baltimore in Northern Virginia, the Weenie Beenie in Shirlington you could
say is the last man standing.

And this blogger can attest to the fact that the lone
remaining Weenie Beenie still delivers on its very cool name.

I’ll have a half smoke loaded, a burger with pickles,
mustard and ketchup, some onion rings and a Coke!All for under 10 bucks.

That was my order at the walk-up window at the old school
fast food joint along Shirlington Road just off a 395.A mere exit or two south of the Pentagon
along 395.

Did I mention that Weenie Beenie delivers?

And where did they come up with the name Weenie Beenie.

The hot dog joint’s founder was Bill Staton who it is said
used his billiards winnings to open this spot that sports his pool playing
nickname, Weenie Beenie.

Fans of the Foo Fighters are saying right now, Weenie Beenie
sounds familiar.

That’s right, Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl was a big
fan of Weenie Beenie when he lived in Arlington and to honor his favorite spot
for munchies, he and the band named a song on their first album Weenie
Beenie.

My only disappointment on my vacation-week lunchtime trip to
Weenie Beenie was that I couldn’t have ordered more!

But how about that loaded half smoke.Split down the middle and grilled.All dressed in chili sauce, onions and
relish.

Something tells me next time this blogger finds his way to
the Old Dominion a trip to the Weenie Beenie will be in order!

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Branding Fresh And Fun

With the 139th running of the Preakness is now less than 6
months away, the Maryland Jockey Club has unveiled the 2014 Preakness logo for
the middle jewel of racing’s Triple Crown that will take place May 17 at
Pimlico Race Course.

A crowd of 117,203 packed Old Hilltop some 6 months ago for the biggest single day sporting event in the State of Maryland.
That was the 4th largest crowd to ever witness the Preakness in Baltimore.

The brainchild of Leffler Agency senior art director Jeffrey
Sewell, in the 2014 logo the big race is well underway as three horses gallop over
the word Preakness. Stylized horses andjockeys seem to zoom in from thin-air giving a sense of movement to the
illustration. A nod is given to Maryland as the state flag colors of red, black
and gold are boldly used.

The folks at the Leffler Agency delivered to the MJC what
they believe is a fresh and fun logo that they believe attempts to capture the
race excitement that is unmistakably the Preakness. Maryland’s biggest single day sporting event is 200 days away.

Much like the Ravens and the Orioles, each year Preakness
organizers look to come-up with a “look” that is unique to the upcoming event.

It’s all about branding.Doesn't this Ravens logo and all that it means just speak for itself!

Now that's branding. In a big way.

When it comes to Major League Baseball merchandising, the
Oriole’s decision in recent years to bring back the cartoon Bird logo has
reaped big benefits for the team.

The new cartoon Bird was introduced in 2012 to celebrate the
20th Anniversary Season of Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The team designed a
slightly modernized cartoon bird for its home and road caps and batting
helmets. The new bird borrows elements from the cartoon bird of the 60's and
70's, with refined details and also the team's O's alternate cap.

Over the course of the past 2 seasons with the Orioles new carton
Bird logo the team has seen an increase in merchandising sales not only in
Baltimore but also across the nation.

Orioles merchandise sales were up 89% this past season, the
biggest increase in merchandise sales in all of Major League Baseball!

Monday, October 28, 2013

The Best, The Brighest & Crabs

The best and the brightest in the Maryland horse racing
industry once again gathered for a night of friendship, food and fun on the fall
night each year at Laurel Park when the Maryland Racing Media Association shines
a spotlight on all that’s good in the sport that means so much to so many people
across our great state.

The same Maryland Racing Media Association that dates back
to 1937 and includes in its membership some of the most respected and talented
turf writers, photographers, broadcasters and publicists in the racing
business.

There’s nothing quite like a night when folks from all walks
of life in the racing industry in Maryland can come together for a mouthwatering
crab feast and a star studded silent auction all while honoring the young 20
backstretch scholarship winners, the future stakeholders of Thoroughbred racing
in Maryland, and at the same recognizing
the likes of Bruce Jackson, Tom Chuckas and Arnold Heft for their many
achievements within Maryland racing, some recent, some in the past and all so
very important.

And anytime you can get together for such a great cause and
enjoy some of the best steamed crabs and Maryland Crab Soup known to mankind it’s a real bonus.

It was a night at the “Track by the Tracks” in Laurel that
20 remarkable young people were honored and shared in backstretch scholarships all
to the tune of a remarkable $23,000!Young people who are the future of the horse racing industry in
Maryland.The very talented young men
and women who are the true future of all that was being celebrated on the
memorable night at Laurel Park.

All of the scholarship recipients either work on the
Maryland backstretch or are employed on a Thoroughbred farm or are studying
equine veterinary medicine. This group represents, in so many ways, a vital
portion of the future of the racing industry in Maryland.

The Humphrey S. Finney Award is given each year in recognition
of lifetime contributions to the Maryland horse racing industry. And to say Arnold
Heft has made major contributions to the racing business in Maryland would be
an understatement.

Arnold Heft, and his wife Sylvia (above with trainer Tim Keefe), have been fixtures in
Maryland racing for decades with a string of quality horses – led by
Maryland-bred stalwart Eighttofasttocatch. Their involvement in Maryland’s
sporting landscape goes back even further.

In addition to his Baltimore Bullets and Capitals ownership
partnership with the late Abe Pollin, Mr Heft was as a minor league baseball
player for the Orioles and several other teams. BTW, did this blogger forget to
mention that Arnold spent parts of 3 decades as an NBA referee.

And how about the team that Arnold, Sylvia and Tim
Keefe have evolved into in recent years and how their hard work has been
highlighted by the great success of Eighttofasttocatch!

The Maryland Jockey Club’s Tom Chuckas received the Nancy
Alberts Achievement Award for his work navigating seas of change at Laurel Park
and Pimlico Race Course over the past year. The Maryland tracks reached an
important 10-year agreement with horsemen and breeders and have improved in a
number of key areas thanks to the leadership of Chuckas.

And when presented with his award in front of the big crowd
packed into the Carriage Room at Laurel Park, Chuckas was true to form as he
heaped praise on his staff at the Maryland Jockey Club for making it possible
for him to be honored and for all the work they do on a daily basis to make
Maryland racing the best it can be.

Fair Hill Equine Therapy Center co-owner Bruce Jackson was
this year’s Newsmaker award winner for a year in which his state of the art facility
here in Maryland hosted Kentucky Derby winner Orb, Grade 1 winner Paynter and
long list of horses famous and otherwise.

Bruce’s vision of offering physical therapy options like his
hyperbaric chamber, Aquapacer water treadmill, cold salt-water spa, vibration stall
and solarium among other services in the relaxed atmosphere that only Fair Hill
can deliver has taken equine therapy to heights no one could have ever imagined.
But Bruce did!

One of the many highlights of the evening was MRMA President
Ted Black’s presentation of the President’s Award to Bobby Lillis.

The same Bobby Lillis who is not only the Executive Director
of the Maryland Horsemen's Assistance Fund, but the same Bobby Lillis who has
dedicated his life to all that is good about horse racing in Maryland.

It was
just a few weeks ago that Bobby helped organize a fundraiser that raised
upwards of $30,000 for injured exercise rider Jose Villegas (above).

Nobody is more well liked along the backstretch than Bobby
Lillis and it was great to see him honored for all he does.

And how about the 20 very talented young people who were
honored with Maryland Racing Media Association backstretch scholarships on a
what was a night to remember for those students, their families and friends.

Alexandra Curtiss was the recipient of the Eddie McMullen
Memorial Scholarship for the third consecutive year and received $2,500. Alexandra
has already amassed an impressive 304 credit hours and is enrolled in 35 credit
hours this fall at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
and she has a cumulative 3.71 grade point average.

Sean Konkolics was presented with the Lucy Acton Memorial
Scholarship for Service and will also receive $2,500. Sean is enrolled in 12
credit hours in his senior year at the University of Maryland, where he has
maintained a 3.0 GPA through 110 credit hours of undergraduate studies while
majoring in Wildlife Ecology and Management.

Patrick Allinson, Cassandra Daney, Dagmar Caramello and
Malie Lockard each received $1,500. Patrick is a sophomore at Loyola University
with a 3.89 GPA while working toward his MBA in Finance Consulting. Cassandra
is in enrolled in 18 credit hours in her junior year at Virginia Tech where she
is majoring in Agricultural Science. Dagmar is enrolled in graduate school at
the University of Maryland after completing her undergraduate studies at Penn
State University, while Malie is enrolled in 16 credit hours as a junior at
Salisbury University.

Kristen Bungori, August Pons, Meghan Mooney, Jennifer
Brasser, Kelly Barnes and Johnny Weiss received $1,000 each. Kristen is
enrolled in the nursing program at Harford Community College. August is
majoring in Political Science at the University of North Carolina. Meghan is
majoring in Actuarial Science and Accounting at Penn State University –
Brandywine. Jennifer has already completed her bachelor’s in Massage Therapy
and is enrolled this semester at the Community College of Baltimore County.
Kelly is seeking her degree in Pre-Vet Studies at Virginia Intermont College
and John is majoring in Animal Science at the University of Maryland.

Kyle Berger, Jessica Frock, Rebecca Feliciano, Parker Jones,
Bonnie Smerdon, Ryan Clancy, Jermaine Haughton and Jenny Hamilton received $750
each. Kyle is studying computer science at the University of Maryland. Jessica
is studying health care at Carroll County Community College. Rebecca is
studying criminal justice at the University of Baltimore. Parker is studying
atmospheric sciences at Salisbury University. Bonnie is studying law at the
University of the District of Columbia. Ryan is studying civil and environmental
engineering at the University of Maryland. Jermaine is in the pre-law program
at the University of Maryland. Jenny is studying science at Anne Arundel
Community College.

Wow.With those very
special backstretch scholarship award winners, it’s easy to see that the future
of the racing industry in Maryland is in good hands.Pardon me, but can you pass me a few more of those crabs.

And once again, this blogger was both honored and thrilled to
have had a front row seat for yet another Maryland Racing Media Association crab
feast, awards ceremony and salute to the scholarship winners all at Maryland racing's
"Party of the Year"!

Friday, October 25, 2013

A Dance To Bristol

Next weekend a horse that trains right here in Bowie will
take to that stage in hopes of beating some of the best fillies and mares in the world to
the wire at Santa Anita Park in the Breeders’ Cup.

You could say this Maryland-based mare is now officially a
diva.

Dance to Bristol put in her final work at the Bowie Training
Center Friday morning ahead of the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare
Sprint.

With regular jockey Xavier Perez aboard the Ollie Figgins
III trainee stopped the clock in 58.60, the fastest drill of the morning at the
5-furlong distance.

What a thrill it must be for Ollie, Xavier and all of Dance
to Bristol’s connections.

“To have the opportunity to ride a horse of this caliber is
a dream come true,” Perez said. “We are going to the Super Bowl of racing,
going against the best of the best. It is an unbelievable feeling to know that
I am going into the race with a horse that has a shot to win the race. We have
been competing against most of the same runners next weekend.”

Yes, they are on the way to Southern California for the
Breeders’ Cup.

Dance to Bristol has won seven of her nine starts this year,
including three graded stakes races. The daughter of Speightstown began her
4-year old campaign with a second place finish in the What A Summer Stakes at
Laurel Park in January.

Then with Perez picking up the mount, the filly reeled off
seven straight victories from February through August, including a win in the
Skipat Stakes at Pimlico Race Course on Preakness weekend (above) and three graded races
in New York: Bed Of Roses (G3), Honorable Miss (G2) and Ballerina (G1).

Not too shabby I would say.No wonder Dance to Bristol is Breeders; Cup bound.

In addition to the thrill of a lifetime trip to the Breeder’s
Cup winner’s circle, a victory on one of racing’s biggest stages could also
mean an Eclipse Award for Dance to Bristol.The Eclipse Award is racing’s biggest “post season” honor.This blogger knows firsthand after being
incredibly honored to have won an Eclipse Award for coverage of Barbaro’s
breakdown in the Preakness.

“We have a very live shot and I always feel that with her,”
added Figgins. “Every time she goes to the gate I feel like she is going to be
the winner because she gives it her all. It is a great thrill to have a nice
horse with the talent to go to New York and win graded races. The Bed of Roses
performance was the race where I knew she was a horse of that caliber. It has
been a lot of fun.”

Dance To Bristol has 10 wins and eight second place finishes
in 19 career starts with earnings of $980,880. She has raced nine times in
Maryland during her career with five victories and four runner-up finishes.

She broke her maiden on Oct. 29, 2011 at Laurel and also
captured the 2012 Marshua Stakes at the central Maryland track.

A week from now a little lady from Bowie will be running the
race of her life on one of Thoroughbred racing’s biggest stages.

Hey look, there’s YoUDee the Blue Hen from the University of
Delaware walking down Henry Street.Isn’t
that Mario the Magnificent Dragon from Drexel University strolling along McMechen
Street.Wow, I see Kate the Lioness of Hofstra
University skipping down Lombard Street.

Not to mention Clyde the Cougar of the College of Charleston
over there on Calvert Street. I think that’s Paws the Husky from Northeastern
University parked on Potee Street.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Looking Like A Million In Maryland

Billed as Maryland’s Day at The Races, the 28th
Annual Jim McKay Million at Laurel Park once again lived up to its billing. And much more!

From the track to the grandstands to the apron to the Party
at the Park to the winner’s circle, Jim McKay’s brainchild was bigger and
better than ever in its 28th year.

As always, it’s tough to select the race of the day on a day
when the best horses sired by Maryland stallions took to the track 11 times.

Also as always it’s who you ask.The race of the day is always that one that
earns an owner, breeder, trainer or jockey a trip to the winner’s circle.Or the race that hit it big at the betting
window for the railbird.

If you asked Chip Reed (above) he would tell you watching his horse, Monster Sleeping, winning the $125,000 Maryland Millions Ladies
on the turf was the highlight of the day. It gave trainer Dale Capuano a
record-tying 10th Maryland Million win.
Chip's trip to the winner's circle came just a few days after he
graciously hosted a fundraiser for injured exercise ride Jose Villegas at his Corner
Stable Restaurant in King's Contrivance.
BTW, an event that was packed with Maryland horsemen that raised upwards
of $30,000 for the popular injured Laurel Park workout rider.

All of that aside, this blogger would have to say it was a
pair of back to back races that hit it out of the ballpark on Maryland Million Day.

Like that exciting finish on the bright green turf course in
the 9th race of the day, the $125,000 Maryland Million Turf.

With Ben’s Cat coming down the stretch in the lead in his
bid to become a first-time four-time Maryland Million winner, it was Roadhog
who ran down King Leatherbury’s turf veteran at the wire to send the likes of Ellendale
Racing to the winner’s circle paying a sweet $9.40 for the winner and topping a
$33.60 exacta.

Thehow about the
next race, the 10th on Maryland Million Day, as the Heft family’s Eighttofasttocatch
led from start to finish to win the $150,000 Maryland Million Classic for the
second time in the past three years. Last year the son of Not For Love finished
a fifth in the Classic as the betting favorite but this year things were
completely different.

And what a scene it was in the winner’s circle, as in Sylvia
E. Heft’s stead, husband Arnie Heft had a smile as wide as a furlong after the win with
trainer Tim Keefe and jockey (and Garrison Forest grad) Forrest Boyce at his
side.

It was all that’s good about Maryland racing!And how about the appearance a visit from Joey of War Horse
fame on the historic Laurel Park oval.

How cool was that seeing that so very talented puppeteers
bring the horse to life.

Some folks told me they couldn’t believe their eyes.

This blogger was one of them.Hey look, even the Natty Boh man is a railbird on Maryland Million Day.

There’s nothing quite like fall in Maryland and in its
almost 3 decades of existence the Maryland Million has become as much a part of
fall in these parts as pumpkins, mums and apple cider!

Watching those mighty Suttler Clydesdales, Goshen Foxhounds
and Great Falls Vaulters out on the track between races with the fall foliage of
Laurel as a back drop was a true fall treat.

One of the most important racing days at Laurel Park with horses
sired by Maryland-based stallions for combined purses totaling $1 million, the
Maryland Million drew a crowd of 18,036 on a cool, crisp Saturday afternoon in
central Maryland.Pretty impressive for
a day when rain seemed to be threatening throughout the 11 race card.

And you always know it’s a big day at the track when HRTV hosts
Dick Jerardi, Gabby Gaudet and Caton Bredar are trackside.

Introduced in 1986, no wonder the Maryland Million has been
duplicated by more than 20 other states.

How lucky are Marylanders that one of our own, Hall of Fame
TV Broadcaster Jim McKay originally proposed the Maryland Million concept
around his breakfast room table with the late great Chick Lang and the still
very vibrant Bill Boniface almost 3 decades ago.

Maryland Million Day is a day that anyone associated with
the horse racing industry in Maryland, including this state’s great racing
fans, can be very proud of!